Starfox Origins
by Tiamat19
Summary: The life of Fox's father, James McCloud. From his humble beginnings, to his mysterious past, to his destiny to become the galaxy's savior. Chapter 3 is up.
1. The Life

**Starfox Origins - Prologue**

Before the mercenary team known as Starfox thwarted Andross' plans to conquer the Lylat System…before they saved Dinosaur Planet Sauria and beyond from a tragic fate…before they destroyed the aparoid menace…there was The Black War.

Thirteen years before the events of the original Starfox, war had erupted between the planets Corneria and Erdes. Space was alive with the blood, sweat, and tears of two sides with opposing ideals. Fox's father, James McCloud, was unexpectedly thrown into the conflict. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

A cunning and powerful entity known as Judas is responsible for the ignition of the war. His true intentions for starting this epic clash remained unknown. It will be up to the Cornerian Army, including James and his fellow teammates, to stop Judas and end the Erdesian threat.

Not only will James have to fight for the fate of the galaxy, he'll also have to face his past and confront his inner demons…

**Chapter 1 - The Life**

_Florence, Corneria. It was a quaint little village in the countryside, far away from the hustle and bustle. Life was quiet and simple for the villagers of this land of rolling hills and plains, and they wouldn't have had it any other way. Advanced technology was not a staple in Florence, and they were happy just the same. Agriculture was the main way of living._

_Everyone in Florence knew each other. This tightly knit society helped one another in need, like one big support system. The people got along nicely and were some of the most pleasant folks you would ever meet. As gracious as the population was, they didn't pay too kindly to outsiders. If you were new here, expect some cold stares and complete silence as you walked the streets. It takes some time before they warm up to you._

_In this rural community lived a man, who was an expert pilot that served in the military many years ago. Popular belief was that he had no equal when it came to flying. He was a force to be reckoned with. Whenever he is at the controls of an aircraft, he was a maestro. The plane would dance to whatever tune he meticulously conducted. Whether it would be a rousing overture, a whispering waltz, or an unfinished symphony, he was a Master of his craft. The baton was broken, however, when an unfortunate incident had forced him to retire from the field altogether. It was undoubtedly the saddest day in his life…_

_Now this legendary ex-pilot has decided to settle down, and start over anew. A fresh start would wipe the slate clean. This would be a new beginning. He wanted to be away from it all. No more fighting. No more war. No more death._

_This is the tale of James McCloud, aka 'The Beast on the Battlefield'._

"ZZZZZZZZ…"

He lied there asleep in bed, with the covers twisting around him like a snake. His long white-tipped tail drooped off the side. The fox's tan fur was messy and mangy, his right hand rested comfortably down deep in his black boxers, no doubt grabbing a hold of something. He snored out loud. His tongue flopped out of his mouth, and the white crust on his chin was evidence of overnight drooling.

His wife, his better half, on the other hand was slumbering neatly underneath the covers, regardless of the noise. The tan-furred fox's innocent face gently warmed from the sunlight through the window. A twaft of silky red hair flowed down to the nose. She laid on her right side with her head on her hands, facing away from her mate.

The two slept peacefully, until a loud noise from the living room…

BOOM! BOOM BOOM! BOOM! BOOM BOOM! YEAHHHHHHH!

"…mmm…looks like our little monster is up, James." She mumbled, eyes still closed.

"ZZZZZZZZZ…"

"It's your turn to fix breakfast you know. Get up."

"ZZZZZZZZZ…"

"James. Wake up."

"ZZZZZZZZZ…"

"James. I'm going to kick you out of bed if you don't wake up."

"ZZZZZZZZZ…"

"Don't say I didn't warn you…"

With a swift and mighty boot to the rear end, the husband was forced out of the bed and fell to the floor with a thud. He was more annoyed than hurt. With an unintelligible grumble, he stumbled to his feet. Once he turned his head back and forth to get a bearing, the 33 year old wobbled his way out to the living room, eyes still mostly shut.

Their humble little two-bedroom home was warm and cozy. It had a relaxing aura to it. Julia was a nut for decoration, so naturally the solid oak walls were lined with various doodads such as plates, plastic flowers, and framed pictures of their family. Antique lamps sat on two small tables in the living room. The coffee table was empty and the television was off. The couches would normally have throw pillows on it, but they were scattered all over the floor, thanks to a certain little kid.

"Hey dad! Look at me! Check out this dance!"

Their adorable little 7-year old son Fox McCloud, in nothing but a pair of sunglasses and green boxers, strutted around in a circle. He shook his butt in a rude manner, causing his tail to follow suit. Like any kid his age, he craved attention.

"(Oh great…can't wait to see this…)"

He finally opened his eyes. An unusual feature about James McCloud was immediately apparent. His left eye was blue, and his right eye was green. The wife had blue eyes, and the little offspring had green eyes. When asked about this from his son and wife, his answer was 'a birth defect'. Fox thought it was so cool. His wife thought it was weird.

"It's way too early in the morning to be shaking your butt, son."

"No it's not! See? See? I'm doing it now! Shake shake shake! Move move move!"

"I'm going to fix some breakfast, because your oh-so-sweet-and-wonderful mother is too lazy to do it herself, so try not to destroy the house by then."

"I heard that!" came a yell from the bedroom.

Fox pointed and laughed. "Ha ha! Busted dad!"

James mumbled some more before heading to the kitchen. "Whatever…And put some clothes on Fox. You know better than that."

Fox pointed again. "You're wearing only boxers too!"

James' 5'11'' body was toned quite nicely, thanks to his daily regimen of jogging 5 miles around the countryside. He had some noticeable muscle underneath all that fur and Julia loved it. She was pleased in more ways than one.

James placed an empty bowl on the table and took out a box of chocolate puff cereal, then commenced pouring. "It's because I'm an adult. When you grow up, you get to walk around the house in as little clothing as you want. You can be naked if you want to."

"Really? Naked!"

"Yeah. It's real cool."

"DEAR!" came another yell from the bedroom.

James grimaced as he poured the milk. Fox shoved a spoonful of chocolaty goodness in his mouth. "Haha! munch! chew! Busted again!"

"I THOUGHT YOU WERE ASLEEP!"

"NOT SINCE I KICKED YOU OUT OF BED!"

"Heh…" James turned around and quickly snatched Fox's bowl away, much to his dismay.

"Heyyy!"

"I already told you. Put on some clothes. You can have your cereal back after you do it."

"Fine…" he sighed, then strutted into his room.

James helped himself to some cereal and sat down at the kitchen table. Milk was already dribbling down his chin as he chomped down. He wiped it clean with a swipe of the forearm. Proper manners weren't exactly one of his strong points. He felt two hands holding his shoulders and he looked up. There was Julia, looking pretty decent in her orange morning robe.

"Morning James…" she whispered to him.

"Morning Julia…" he whispered back, then snuck in a little kiss.

"…Have you been drinking, James?"

He felt a lump in his throat, and quickly looked away. A hot button issue. "Uhhhh…why do you ask?"

"Because I can smell it on your breath."

"…what if I said 'no'?"

"Then you would be lying."

"…what if I said 'yes'?"

"Then you would be in trouble."

"Ummmm…uhh…let me get back to you on that hon." He said as he scratched his head nervously, not daring to look her in the eye.

"Good call James. Very good call. Be sure that you do, or you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

"heh heh…(aww man…I'm so in the doghouse.)"

Fox came back less than a minute later, fully clothed in a pair of blue jeans and gray t-shirt and socks.

James placed his cereal back on the table and the little vulpine resumed in inhaling it. Julia tossed back her hair and went to the counter. She whipped up her usual morning fix of black coffee. She hasn't changed this routine for twelve years, long before they were married. It ran through her veins. Her husband didn't bother asking what she wanted for breakfast. What was the point?

"Chomp chomp! Chew chew! Crunch crunch!"

The three had sat down at the kitchen table. It would've been quiet if it wasn't for the father and son eating their food with their mouths wide open. Julia ignored them as she continued reading a murder mystery novel. _'The Question'_ Page 142. She had gotten used to the crunching.

The window gave a view of cherry blossoms that flittered through the air, signaling what season it was. They were looking forward to warmer weather and longer days.

James finished first with his meal, complete with drinking the milk from the bowl. Fox finished a few minutes after, now wearing a white moustache. Mr. McCloud took the two empty dishes and tossed them in the sink, then sat back down at the kitchen table.

Now it was completely quiet, but Fox was into some mischief. Julia kept reading.

He stretched out his face and stuck out his tongue, directed at his pop. James replied by crossing his eyes and making a wide chesire cat grin. Julia turned a page, appearing absorbed. Fox came back by blowing up his cheeks and wiggling his ears. James dragged down his eyes and pushed up his nostril, then turned and faced toward his wife. It was all without a sound, but that doesn't mean she didn't notice.

Julia smacked James in the head with the novel and continued reading like nothing happened. "You think I didn't see that, dear?"

"Ow..." he said, rubbing his cranium. "Why didn't you hit him? He was making faces too."

"That's because he doesn't know any better. You, on the other hand, should."

Fox pointed and laughed at him. "Ha ha! Busted **AGAIN**!"

James got up and went to his bedroom to put on a pair of blue jeans, then returned and kissed Julia on the cheek. He didn't put on a shirt. "I'm gonna go jog. I'll be back."

"Alright James. Be careful."

Fox waved. "Bye dad."

"Be good, son. Don't aggravate your mother. That's my job." He told him with a sly grin, then left.

"(Dork…)" Julia thought to herself.

James began his morning run through the main street of the town. The sun barely peeked over the horizon and the grass with moist with dew. It was a bit on the chilly side, but it didn't bother him. Most of the villagers weren't even up this time of day, except for Samson. The old bearded badger was tending to his tomato garden.

He raised a hand as he passed by. "Morning Sam. How's the tomatoes?"

"Ah…hey there James. They're looking real good this year, might be our biggest harvest yet."

"Sounds great! See ya later!"

James went uphill to a plaza, where there was an intersection of four. The grocery store was on the southwest corner. The path to the north lead to the woods. The west path lead to more houses. He made a right and took a long winding road around the countryside, the same 5 mile path every day.

He kept a brisk pace past the wheat and corn fields, not slowing down one bit. The whistling of sparrows and the slight wind kept the trek soothing. Uphill and downhill, James never missed a step.

A while later in the grocery store on the southwest corner of the plaza, Julia was shopping for the essentials in a flattering red blouse. She had bread, milk, cereal, and eggs in her cart. Now she was in the last aisle for some extra snacks.

The small, modest store was always tranquil, and no more than a dozen customers were ever inside at one time ever since its opening, which was 24 years ago.

As usual, Fox was getting himself into trouble. While his mother was on one side of the store, he was on the other with a big jar of pickles. An overactive imagination combined with breakable objects is a dangerous thing.

He ducked down in a three-point stance with his hand wrapped around the jar. "Boo forty-two! Boo forty-two! Hup! Hup!"

Fox danced around the empty aisle with jar held in a statue of liberty play. "Who will Fox McCloud pass it to? Oh noes! I'm open! I'm open! Pass it to me!"

He tossed the jar up in the air, and tried to catch it…but he missed. The glass container slipped past his arms and hit the floor. A loud shatter followed by an explosion of pickles. "Incompeet! Outta bounds! No good!"

Julia grumbled to herself as soon as she heard the glass break. She stomped past the aisles until she got to the last one. The mother turned and looked at her son dead in the eyes.

There was Fox, acting oh-so-cute-and-innocent. "Somebody broke these pickles mommy!"

She pointed straight down to her feet. The expression on her face said it all. "C'mere Fox. Now."

His bright face instantly turned grim, his ears folded back, and his tail drooped down. He put his hands behind his back and looked down. Fox had the sympathy look down pact. "Okay…" Step by step, he walked to his mother.

Her eyes followed him until he was at her feet. He still didn't look up.

"Fox. What did I tell you about playing in the store?"

"…"

"Fox. Your mother is talking to you. What did I tell you about playing in the store?"

"…Not to do it."

"Then why did you do it?"

"…"

"Fox."

"…"

"Answer me Fox. Right now."

"…I…I…I don't know…"

"You don't know?"

"…No…"

"Why did you do it?"

"…I…I wanted to play football."

Out of nowhere, she pinched Fox's ear with a tight grip. "You know what I have to do now because of you? I have to pay for those pickles!"

"Owowowowowowowow!"

At ten minutes before eight o'clock, James arrived at his source of income on the outskirts of the village. Six days a week, at least 9 hours a day. Pay wasn't too great either. His job was menial farm work. Transporting lumber and other raw materials onto trucks was one of them. It was real backbreaking labor. Not quite as exciting as being a pilot, but it gets his family through.

The athletic fox stood before the huge farm, now with a white tanktop. A big red barn was surrounded by acres of corn and wheat on one side, and a pasture of various farm animals on the other side. The farmer's house that sat by it was modest, only one bedroom. Smit, the 54 year old otter, never married. He was the only one living here.

"You're early James, as usual." Smit told him. He pointed to the huge pile of lumber behind the barn. "When Benjamin gets here, I need you two to haul all those onto the truck in the driveway. When you're done, I'll have more for you to do."

"Sure thing."

At one minute after eight, James' #2 best friend and coworker arrived. Benjamin Dotson. He was a monster of a bear, nearly 12 inches taller than the fox. He was also in tanktop and jeans. Benjamin had a husky frame, mostly fat but certainly not flabby. Despite his intimidating figure, he's really a laid-back fellow. Don't think he's soft though, he won't hesitate in swingin' if you get out of line.

"Eeeeey there J Mac!" he bellowed, then a big pat on his back. "Always the first on the job I see."

His massive frame cast a shadow that completely enveloped James.

"S'up Benji. How's it hangin?" he greeted with a return pat.

"Bah…same old same old, man. Wife naggin', kids are drivin' me nuts. You know the drill. So what's Smit got planned for us today?"

"He says we gotta carry all that lumber and put it in the truck over there. Once we've got that out of the way, he'll have his next order."

"Hah. Alright. Sounds easy enough. We'll get it done in no time. You ready to get to work, J Mac?"

"Ready when you are Gentle Ben."

"Did you say something little fox?"

"Heh heh…nothing. I'm just kiddin'. Let's do this."

Smit was inside the house eating an egg sandwich as James and Benjamin began the man work. The fox was stronger than he looked. Without so much as a grunt, he hoisted one end of the twenty-foot log up to his chest. He held it steady with both hands and then swiveled around 180 degrees. It was now on the right shoulder with his right arm securing it.

Benjamin was well, as strong as he looked. With one hand, he lifted up his end with moderate effort. The log was carried from the back of the barn around to the front. It was tossed into the back of a large waiting truck. That's one down, fifty-eight to go.

After hours of lifting and carrying, they were halfway through the log-hauling. The sun was higher and their side of the world was wide awake. It was comfortably warm, around 74 degrees. Smit was kind enough to give them a couple sausage sandwiches and glasses of orange juice. The meat was nice, thick, and greasy, the kind that'll stick to your ribs for a long while. James and Benjamin sat on the front porch of the house as they ate.

The bear took a huge bite, the juices quickly filling his mouth. "Mmm mmm! Just the way I like it. Smit knows how to make a good sausage sandwich. I wish my wife was this good of a cook."

The fox didn't start his sandwich yet. He took a sip of OJ instead. "How is she, by the way?"

"Bahhhh. It's getting real bad James. Real bad. Nowadays, I can't even go a day without arguing with her. We often go to bed mad. We throw things around the house. It's really getting on my last nerve. I swear I was _this_ close to…to…"

"Hitting her?"

"…Yeah…but I don't play that game. I would never ever hit a woman, no matter how pissed off I get."

"You've got a good heart Benji."

"Everytime one of our kids does something wrong, we somehow end up blaming and cursing each other instead of the runt. One time Jeffrey broke a window, and she ends up yelling at me because I wasn't watching him. I was making them breakfast for crying out loud! I don't have eyes in the back of my head!"

"I'm sorry to hear that. Have you tried talking it out with her?"

"Trust me. We've done that a million times already. It just makes it worse. She often talks to her grandmother on the phone, crying and swearing about our dysfunctional family."

"That's a shame…" James said with sincerity. He wasn't really good at this type of subject. He thought it was best to keep the responses short.

"It really is. It seems like every time we talk, it magically turns into an argument. Our son and daughter…I hear them cry sometimes. They want us to love each other again, but it's not going to happen. I hate to say it, but I'm seriously considering a divorce."

"…Perhaps it's for the best."

"Yeah…but who's going to get custody of the kids? I love them too damn much to lose them. Sure they're a pain in the ass at times, but it sure beats battling the wife."

"One for you and one for her perhaps."

"That's probably how's it going to be, better than nothing I suppose."

Benjamin finished his sandwich and licked his claws eagerly. James didn't even start on his.

"…You gonna eat that?"

"Hmm? Oh…no. You can have it." He replied, handing him the still hot food. One third of it was already in the big bear's mouth.

"So…James. How are you and your wife?"

"Eh…so-so. We're getting along fine…I guess..."

"You're such a damn liar J Mac. You two are like bunnies, jumping on each other's bones every chance you get."

"Heh heh…alright you caught me. Sorry. I didn't want to make you feel bad about your relationship."

"Don't worry about it man. I already got my share of the action. How do you think I got two kids?"

"Adoption?"

"Very funny. You're a regular comedian."

"I try."

No more words were exchanged until after Benjamin finished off his second sandwich and orange juice.

"So…Ready to finish off the rest of the logs?" the big one asked.

"Yeah. Let's go."

The rest of the day continued like clockwork. James and Benjamin performed the assigned tasks from Smit. He kept a pitcher of lemonade and a few more sausage sandwiches out for them just in case. Shoveling manure while wearing masks, milking the cows, bailing the hay, feeding the pigs, shucking the corn, among other things...were all done without incident. They've done this so many times. It was burned in their brain.

It had been a long arduous day. Their bodies and spirits were nearly depleted. At 6:42 pm, it was already dark. The sun had long retired before they did. The two workers received their day's pay of forty dollars each from Smit, in which they quickly pocketed.

"See you both tomorrow. Careful now, you hear?"

"We will." They both chimed.

James and Benjamin walked down the dirt road out to the main road, where they went their separate ways.

"See ya tomorrow J Mac."

"Later Benji. Good luck with the wife."

"Whatever. I know you'll have a good night. Freak."

The fox blew him a raspberry before he made a turn. "Night Ben."

"Night man."

James took off his tanktop and began his long jog back home. Normally this night run would be tiring for his worn out body, but he was looking forward to what he was going to get when he got home.

Spaghetti was already prepared on the table as Julia McCloud washed the dishes. She and Fox had already eaten. The three didn't always eat together. The mouthwatering aroma of Italian food was strong in the house.

James arrived at his humble abode and opened the front door. Julia continued washing the dishware, unaware of his husband's presence…just the way James liked it.

A toothy grin spread from ear to ear as he snuck across the living room to the kitchen, like a lion on the hunt, like a predator searching for his prey, eyes on his prize. The way the red blouse hugged those curves of hers was very seductive.

The wife was still unaware, until a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind. A suddenly affectionate James rubbed his face on her back, purring like a lovesick kitten.

"EEP!"

"Hi honey. I'm hoooooome."

"Jerk! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"I'm oh so sorry…please forgive me…I'm begging you…Your Majesty…" he mockingly pleaded, then snuck a kiss on her cheek.

"God you are such a dork."

"I try."

She began scrubbing a plate. "So…how was work?"

"Nothing special. It was the same old thing. Carry this, shovel that. I think Benji gained some weight."

"That ain't surprising. That man loves to eat."

James had a secure hold, and leaned forward onto her. Julia was getting awfully warm from coming in contact with her husband's body, which was hot from all that running.

"So how was your day, foxy lady?"

"Oh boy…Fox thought he was sooo cute when we were at the grocery store."

"What he'd do now?"

"He was playing football with a jar of pickles, and let's just say he made an incomplete pass. I grounded him for a week."

"Where's Fox?" he asked.

"He's asleep in his room."

He raised an eyebrow. "…Oh really?"

She immediately knew what he was thinking. "...James…"

He began kissing her neck slowly and passionately, making her temperature rise even higher. Julia narrowed her eyes and let off an elated sigh. Her cleaning of the dishes slowed down to a crawl.

"…James…"

He slipped a warm paw up underneath her blouse, caressing her soft stomach. James was smooth about it.

"…James…"

With the other hand, he began to undo the very top button of her blouse…

"…Ja…James…aren't you…hungry? There's…a…spaghetti…dinner on the…table…" she said between breaths.

"But I'm not hungry for dinner…I'm hungry for you."

The male sniffed her ear, tickling it ever so slightly with his whiskers. He continued unbuttoning her. She snickered lightly, until he did the one thing that pushed her button…the one thing that set her off… James licked around the rim of her ear.

"…Oh god…" she gasped, dropping the dish in the sink with a loud clang. She had a brief moment of ecstasy as she closed her eyes. Her system just had a jumpstart. "James…James…you know that's my spot…you know what that does to me…"

"C'mon Julia…let's do it. The night's young."

"We can't…do this…while…oh my god James…ahhh…Fox is in the house…"

"He's asleep…he won't know my dear…" he spoke softly, then another lick and nibble on the ear.

"…okay…okay…okay…okay…"

Screw the dishes. Julia's blouse was fully unbuttoned. She was hot and ready. He was hot and ready. Not a moment too soon they were embracing in hugs and kisses…which soon elevated into heated grasping and stroking. Articles of clothing peeled off one after another as the two tangled their way to the living room. They didn't care knocking a lamp over before reaching the couch.

James gently lowered onto her, kissing and nibbling her neck. Julia put both of her hands on his back, gripping it tight. Their chests were pressed together, two hearts thumping hard for one another. His moist breath heated her chest as he suckled on it. Julia panted out loud repeatedly as he pleasured her. Her grip tightened, and felt a rush to her loins. The lovemaking only got deeper…

"…James…"

"…Julia…"

In the middle of their fooling around on the couch, Fox emerged from his room and was thirsty. He knew what was going on. It wasn't the first time he saw them. Covering his eyes, he went to the kitchen and helped himself to a glass of water. The little offspring paid no mind to the trail of two pair of underwear, shirt, pants, blouse, and bra on the floor.

The noises didn't bother him either. The moaning, panting, and creaking of the couch didn't even faze him. He didn't look anywhere but straight ahead as he went back into his room. Not a word, except for this. **"**Eww...**"**

They continued well into the night.

At 3am, the two were sleeping peacefully on the couch. Their bodies were cuddled together in a way as if protecting one another. It was endearing.

It was like any other night for the McCloud residence, until a noise disturbed their slumber.

_Knock knock knock…_

James' ears popped up and his eyes snapped open. He was wide awake and laid completely still. He listened for it again.

_Knock knock knock…_

Julia was gently nudged on the arm repeatedly before coming to. "mmm…what is it hon?"

"Shh…listen."

…

_Knock knock knock…_

She began getting nervous. "Someone's at the door. Who could be at this hour?"

"Julia, go to Fox and watch over him. Don't wake him up."

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about me. Just go."

"…Okay…but be careful. Please be careful. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."

She fumbled in the darkness for her bra and underwear, then disappeared down the hall. James went to the kitchen and scrambled around in the drawer. "Forks…spoons…butter knife…ahh…steak knife."

He held it horizontally in a defensive position.

_Knock knock knock…_

He slinked toward the door in the darkness, weapon ready. James was naked, but didn't really notice at the moment. He tried looking out the window to see who it was, but couldn't get a visual.

_Knock knock knock…_

The fox cautiously reached forward and got a grip on the doorknob. Slowly…slowly… He breathed deep, and ever so slightly turned it clockwise..

_**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK…**_

He almost jumped and let go of the knob, but kept his cool.

"No guts…no glory…" he muttered to himself, then pulled the door wide open and dashed ahead. Knife aimed.

**Chapter 2 coming soon…**


	2. The Prelude

**Chapter 2 - The Prelude**

James held the knife steady across his face, looking quickly from left to the right and above him. There was nobody here. Cautious, he stepped off the porch and surveyed the area some more.

The town was asleep, except for the crickets. The darkness of the night still had its grip on the village. He searched around the front and back yard, but there was still nothing. The source of the knocking remained unknown.

"(Hmm…maybe it was the wind…or someone's playing a joke on us.)" he thought to himself.

James decided to give up, and walked back to the front door. Before he stepped inside, he took one last look over his shoulder…and did a double take.

"!"

He thought he saw a figure some distance away…staring at him, motionless. James focused and looked again…but the figure was gone. The fox stood there a while, grip still tight on his weapon. He was thinking whether it was his imagination…or somebody really was there.

He shrugged his shoulders and went back in the house, then put the steak knife back in the drawer. Entering Fox's bedroom, he looked at Julia kneeling at bedside, watching over him. Their son was snoozing peacefully on his stomach, with a stuffed kangaroo in his arm.

"So what happened? Was anyone there?" she whispered, not wanting to wake Fox.

"There wasn't anybody. I looked around and found nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Yeah…nothing. Nobody. Everything okay in here too?"

"Everything's fine. Fox hasn't made a peep."

"That's good to hear."

"...Well…that was weird James…real weird…and creepy too…"

"Ah well…I wouldn't worry about it Julia. It's probably the wind or something…let's just go back to sleep."

"Okay."

Julia walked back to the bedroom with James' paws firmly on her shoulders, comforting her. The two tucked themselves under the covers and went to sleep. The rest of the night went on undisturbed.

The next morning James' side of the bed was again plagued with twisting covers and clutter. Snoring and drooling struck him again. His right hand was in the same place as last time, except this time there were no boxers to hide it. His wife slept in a quiet and neat manner.

Of course, no morning would be complete without some commotion from their only son. The crash of a shattered object was the alarm clock for the husband and wife.

Julia hissed. "Great…"

"Mmm…your turn hon." James mumbled, refusing to open his eyes.

"I know…I know…" she muttered back. Unlike him, she can get out of bed on her own.

She tossed back her hair and put on a blue morning robe. James tumbled back to sawing logs as Julia left the room. What she saw instantly flared up her temper.

"**FOX DAVID MCCLOUD! TAKE THAT OFF RIGHT NOW!"**

"But moooom…"

Fox was parading around the living room in a pair of red boxers, sunglasses, a white bath towel for a cape, a big wooden stick in his hand and…one of Julia's bras for a hat. The D-cups fit over his ears almost perfectly.

"I'm Captain Courage! I'm gonna save the dinosaurs! Up, up and awaaaaay!"

The worlds a young mind can create.

"I don't care! Take that stuff off right now! GIVE ME BACK MY BRA!"

"It's not a bra silly! It's a helmet!"

She took a step forward, making the now-cautious Fox take a step backward. The more she advanced, the more he retreated.

"Fox…take that stuff right now…"

Fox giggled out loud as Julia began chasing him around the living room and kitchen. His 'cape' flowed freely as he ran.

"Fox."

She climbed over a couch to grab him, but he was too fast. They circled back and forth around the coffee table, with laughter and grumbling exchanged between them.

"Fox!"

Julia tried grabbing him from across the table, but he dashed right under it for a quick getaway.

"FOX!"

She had about enough of this wild goose chase. "JAMES! COME IN HERE AND HELP ME!"

"ZZZZZZZZ…"

"JAMES!"

"ZZZZZZZZ…"

She stormed back into the bedroom and shook him by the shoulders. "James. Wake up!"

"Hmm? Wha…what is it dear?"

"Fox is running around the house wearing my bra on his head. Help me get him."

James' face puckered up and he tried hard not to laugh, but did sneak out a chuckle. "He…Re…Really?"

Julia, not amused, picked up a pillow and walloped him on the head with it. "It's not funny James! Get up and help me catch him!"

"Alright…alright. I'm getting up. I'm getting up." he said, and then put on another pair of black boxers.

He and the wife entered the living room, where Fox continued jumping around and making heroic poses. When he saw them, he stopped and became wary again. The fox backed up into the kitchen.

"James, guard that exit. I'll take this one."

In doing so, they had Fox trapped. The two exits out of the kitchen were blocked by his mom and pop. The seven year old looked back and forth frantically. No way out. A moment later he decided to bum rush toward James' exit, but he got caught and lifted up by the waist.

"Son…you know better than to put that on your head. C'mon now…take all that off and put on your own clothes."

"Aww dad…do I havta?"

"Yes you do." he replied. Without warning, James grabbed a handful of Fox's tummy and tickled him, making him squeal, wiggle, and laugh out loud. He looked so overjoyed.

"HEHEHEHEHE! AHHHHHH! DADDY! DADDY! STOP! HEHEHEHEHE! DAD! OKAY! OKAY!"

James carefully put the smiling fox down. "After you do that, we'll have some good ol' chocolate puffs."

Fox gave him his 'helmet' and scurried to his room.

James held her undergarment by his fingers and jiggled it like it was bait. "Here you go."

Julia quickly snatched it away, and began to pick up the other pieces of clothing scattered along the floor, which somehow got there last night. She threw them in the dirty clothes hamper that sat in the back of the kitchen.

Julia went to the counter and started to fix her coffee as well as two bowls of cereal. "That kid…I swear. That kind of behavior is from your side of the family."

"MY side? Heh heh…maybe." he laughed, leaning in and closely looking over her shoulder.

She turned her head for a brief kiss and James sat down at the table, waiting for his breakfast. Fox arrived in a pair of sweatpants, socks, and red shirt with an image of a cartoon mongoose on it. He was just in time as the cereal was passed out.

It was the usual. Two vulpine noisily chomped their cereal, while the other sipped and read quietly.

"So what exactly were you dressed up as, son?" James asked with a soggy chin.

"I was Captain Courage! I was saving the dinosaurs!"

"What's with the big stick?"

"It's not a stick dad, it's a staff! It's got magic powers!"

"Really?"

"Really!"

"Is that so? Saving dinosaurs with a magic staff. You've got quite an imagination."

"I know!"

James finished his meal and got up to throw on a pair of sweatpants from the bedroom. He patted Fox on the head. "I'm off. See ya around, son."

"See ya dad!"

He then bent down beside Julia and looked at her, who paid no mind. She just kept on reading. James looked at the book, then at her, then at the book, and back at her. His tail flickered in playfulness. He leaned in close and gave her a tiny kiss on the cheek, before getting up and heading out.

"Eww…" Fox commented. "Daddy's weird."

"No Fox. Daddy's just an idiot. A very sweet and charming idiot."

The weather was nice and sunny, just like yesterday. The temperature was slightly higher than before at this time of day.

At five before eight, James arrived at work with Benjamin shortly after. The fox had on a gray shirt with a large four-leaf clover on it. The bear wore long denim shorts and plain white t-shirt. Luckily for them, the standard task of redundant farm labor would take a break today.

Old straw-hat wearing Smit stood there before them, with a straw in his mouth. A big red pickup truck sat behind him, loaded to the brim with various goods.

"Good mornin' James. Good mornin' Benjamin."

"Mornin'."

"Guess what? You two get to take it easy today. No shoveling or shucking for you. See that truck behind me?"

The fox and bear nodded, showing a sign of confirmation as Smit continued on.

"The person that was supposed to deliver this cargo has called in sick this morning, so I need you two to take this truck to a friend's house. It's about ninety miles away from here."

The otter handed James a map, and the two inspected it closely. Smit's farm and the destination are marked with blank ink.

"The easiest way to get there is up north on Mattipany Road, take the East 60 highway for the majority of the trip, and then take Exit 32 off. Make a right onto Carol Road and go on it for a few miles, make another right onto Nine Mile Road. You'll see a small red house on your right. That's your destination. There's a lot of heavy stuff and my friend is pretty old, so that's why I need you two to bring the goods off the truck and put them where he tells you to. Do you have any questions?"

"Nope." James replied, and turned to his friend. "How about you Benji?"

"Nah. I'm cool."

Smit handed the bear forty dollars. "This money is for meals and whatnot. You don't have to worry about gas. The tank is full. You have enough for the round trip. You'll get paid the usual amount once you return here with the truck and my friend confirms the delivery."

"Okay." Ben said.

Smit then tossed James the keys, which he caught with an overhead swipe.

"Any other questions?"

"Nah…I think we're good. Right J Mac?"

"Ready when you are Benji."

"Good…then I will see you two later. Be careful." Smit told them with the straw still in his mouth. He turned and walked back to his little home by the barn.

The massive, dirt-plastered pick-up truck was awaiting them. James jumped in the driver's seat as Benjamin took the passenger's. The inside of the truck was rugged. The tan leather seats were worn out from years of use. The air was rife with stale cigarette butts still in the ashtray. Both of them had to push their seats back to get into a comfortable position.

Benjamin put on his seat belt. "Awright…a road trip. Haven't had one of these in a long while."

James put on his as well and started up the ignition. The truck churned for a few seconds before the engine roared to life. "Yeah…this is almost like a vacation."

With a quick push of the stick and foot on the gas, the vehicle left their place of employment and started its journey.

Mattipany Road was narrow and winding, with a forest of trees looming overhead. Sunlight and shadow alternated as James drove forth. Both windows were halfway opened. Their fur waved wildly in the wind.

"So…how's it going?" the fox asked.

"Oh man J Mac…don't get me started."

"Another troublesome chapter in the Dotson family saga?"

"Tch…you wouldn't believe what happened last night."

"Details Benji. Details."

"Welll…it was the same old thing. We were talking, and it blows up into an argument. Now…I guess by this time in the relationship, we were both sick and tired of each other. Night after night, day after day, this and that, this and that. But last night…damn…that was it…it had gotten so bad…"

"Yeah? What happened?"

"Well first, it began when I came home from work last night. I noticed that she didn't cook any dinner, and I asked her about it. She gets all mad and says she can't juggle two rowdy kids all day long, clean and take care of the house, and have time to cook dinner, then she gets the nerve to call me lazy and it's my fault that the kids turn out that way."

"Wow…she's doesn't too happy." he replied, slowing down for the car turning off ahead of him.

"Tell me about it. I mean seriously, where does she get the nerve? What the hell does she think I do for six days a week, nine-plus hours a day? I'm the one who puts the roof over our heads. I'm the one who provides the food."

"True. Very true. She should be grateful, I think."

"Seriously…after we scream our points across, it goes into name-calling. Then threats. Then more name-calling. Then we throw things, this time out of the house."

"Out of the house?"

"Yeah. Chairs, coffee table, dishes, out through the front door. I had gotten so pissed that I threw a sofa out through the window."

James reached a main intersection, where the morning commute traffic blazed along the East 60 highway. There were three lanes on each side. Once he made sure traffic was clear, he eased on out and pressed on the gas. The speed limit was sixty-five. He went seventy, always five above it. Miles upon miles of trees lined both sides of the road.

"Then what happened?"

"We threw more things, yelled some more. Just about everything in the living room was now in the front yard. That wasn't the worst part of the night though."

"I'm almost afraid to ask."

"While we were still hollerin' at each other, I was stomping and swinging around my arms in anger. I was real pissed. I didn't know my son had entered the living room. He stood behind me…and I…and I…"

"Oh no…"

"I…I accidentally smashed him in the face with my elbow. He laid on the floor crying and screaming…covering himself. I…broke his nose…and his face was a bloody mess."

"Oh my god…is he okay?"

"Yeah. He's fine. He's in the hospital now. I decided right then and there…that a divorce would be the best thing for us. No use dancing around this bullshit any longer."

"I'm sorry Benji.."

"Don't be. It's not your fault."

Benjamin stretched his arms out and yawned, while James remained silent. The bear lowered his window somewhat. Now would be the perfect time to change the subject.

"So…how was your night J Mac? Oh wait! Wait! I got it! Let me guess…you stuffed your wife like a holiday turkey."

"**PBBBBTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTH!"**

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm just messin' with ya James. I'm happy that you and Julia get along so well. Heh heh…a little too well.."

"Hey now. There's more to a relationship than just bed squeaking."

"HA! Says you! What's the longest you've been with Julia without doing it?"

"…"

"A month?"

"…"

"A week?"

"…"

"6 days?"

"…"

"5 days?"

"Tell me if I'm getting warmer J."

"…"

"Hmm? Can ya speak up? I can't hear you."

"…Boy the weather sure is lovely today."

"Haha…nice save."

"Alright alright…I get the picture Benji. I love Julia **that **much."

Benjamin rubbed his chin with a sneaky smile on his face. Something quite interesting was on his mind. "Say James…how about we have ourselves a little bet between friends?"

He looked at the bear out of the corner of his eye, intrigued. "…What kind of bet?"

"Simple. The bet is this. I'll bet that you can't go a week without knocking boots with your wife."

"A week? That's it? I can do that Ben, no problem."

"Surrrrrre you will."

"I detect sarcasm."

"Maaaaaybe."

James passed a slower car by changing to the right lane.

"So what's the wager? What happens if I win or lose?"

"If you win, I have to pay you a hundred bucks…AND…I'll wear a pink dress to work for a whole week. If you lose, then you pay me and you'll have to wear the dress."

The fox laughed out loud. "Hahaha! A pink dress? Oh man…that's brutal Benji. That's real brutal. You can't be serious."

"If you don't think you can handle it…"

"…Oh I'm more than capable of handling it…just you wait…But how will you know if I lose the bet or not?"

"Ohh…don' t you worry about that…I have my ways…"

James slowly turned his head and looked at him funny, but soon turned back his focus to driving. He put one hand out, waiting for a handshake. "Alright then. You're on!"

The two shook on it.

A few hours later into the trip, the trees have been replaced by buildings of various shapes and sizes. The red pickup truck was on an overpass looking into the burg below. Cars and trucks traveled through the numerous streets. The drivers traveled to whatever business they had to attend to. The sun above told that it was close to noon.

Benjamin's stomach growled loud and clear, making both of them look down at his belly. "Heh…I guess I'm gettin' kinda hungry James."

"I've noticed."

"Can we stop somewhere for a quick bite?"

"No prob Benji. I think I'm getting hungry myself. I think I see a place down there."

James signaled and turned into the upcoming exit, then went down the arcing one-way street into town below. Right across the intersection was a quick stop store on the corner. The truck was parked right in front of it.

The two had a much needed stretch after being cooped up in the truck for so long. They were about to enter the store, but Benjamin stopped and walked to the pay phone.

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"I need to make a call…to…my wife."

"Ah. Are you trying to finish things up with her?"

"Something like that."

"I'm getting a ham sandwich and some cherry soda. What would you like? I'll get it for you."

"A footlong dog with the works. Ginger Ale for me. Thanks man."

"No problem."

Benjamin leaned over and made sure James was inside the store, then inserted a quarter and dialed a number. Three rings later, he made contact.

"Hello? Mrs. McCloud? Yeah…this is Benjamin. Hey…yeah…I'm fine. Thank you. Anyway, me and your hubby had just made a little bet…Yeah…here…let me tell you all about it…"

James put the two cans of sodas on the counter and politely asked, "May I have the toasted ham sandwich and footlong dog with the works please?"

"Coming right up." The teenage female fox replied, with a friendly smile and southern accent. Her fur was a silky orange, with soft brown eyes. Her denim shorts and white t-shirt were a couple sizes too small. She was shaped like an hourglass and her flowing blonde hair was shoulder length, definitely easy on the eyes. This girl was quite a looker.

James stared at nothing in particular as she prepared the food, his mind beginning to wander. Before he knew it, the clerk was looking at him, just gazing. The hotdog was already prepared, piled generously with toppings and put in a cardboard holder.

"…Is something wrong?" he asked, noticing her stare.

"Hmm? Oh no no…I'm just waiting for the toast to pop up, so I can finish your sandwich.

"Oh…okay."

"…"

"Is there something on my face?"

"Oh no…I just think you're pretty cute. What's your name?"

That came out of nowhere. "Uhh…thanks. I'm James. What's yours?"

"Cherry."

He immediately thought of a joke, but quickly disregarded it. "…That's a pretty name."

"Thanks! I also like your eyes. One's blue, one's green. How'd you get them like that? Contacts?"

"Nah…birth defect."

"Birth defect…I see…I think it's more like a blessing than a defect. They're real pretty."

"…Thank you."

"You're quite welcome. How old are you?"

"Thirty-three."

"Wow…you're thirty-three? You're kidding right?"

"Nope. That's my number."

"You sure are a lot younger than you look… It's a shame you're married." she said, eyeing James' gold ring. "Your wife is a very lucky woman."

He raised his hand, showing his commitment finger. "Yeah...heh heh… This fox settled down and has been put on a leash."

"How long have you been married?"

"About eight years now."

"Kids?"

"One son. He's got a lot of spunk. He drives Julia nuts. She insists that he got it from me."

"Julia?"

"My wife."

"Oh."

"I'm sure she's right…whoop…the toast is done."

The cooked slices of bread were quickly piled with thin-sliced ham, lettuce, and mayonnaise, and also put in a cardboard holder. The whole package smelled delicious.

"Okay…one ham sandwich…one footlong hotdog with the works…one can of cherry soda…one can of ginger ale…that'll be $5.50 please."

The fox handed her a twenty dollar bill, and received his change shortly after.

"Thanks for stopping by. Have a nice day James."

"Thanks Cherry. You too. Take it easy."

"Oh I will…" she replied with a wink.

Benjamin was waiting by the pay phone when his friend walked out of the store with their lunch.

"So…how'd it go with the wife?" James asked, then handed him his dog and drink.

"Oh…um…no one answered. I don't think anyone was home."

"That's too bad…are you going to try calling her again?"

"Nah…I don't think so. I'll just talk to her when I get home."

"Alright. Are you ready to hit the road again?"

"Let's roll J Mac."

The two hopped in the truck and the road trip resumed along the East 60 highway. Ben wolfed down on his hotdog with monstrous bites. James steered with his left hand while eating his sandwich with the right. Bread crumbs stuck to his whiskers, which he didn't bother to clean.

After an hour of changing lanes and radio stations, the truck took the Exit 32 off ramp and made a right onto Carol Road. This region looked just like his home back in Florence. There were acres upon acres of crops as far as the eye can see, complimented by the rolling hills.

Another right onto Nine Mile Road and there it was, a small and modest red house with a gravel driveway, two cars wide. An equally huge blue pick-up truck was parked in the closed garage. They pulled up and stepped out onto the yard, then gave themselves a moment of rest.

"Well…we're here James. Finally."

"Yeah…it's been a long drive."

James stood on his tiptoes and raised his arms to stretch. Benjamin leaned back against the trunk of an old oak tree just a few feet away.

"I'll let the man know we're here." the fox told him.

"Go for it."

James' black feet crunched against the gravel as he walked toward the porch. He could see inside the house through the screen door. It was exactly what you would expect inside a senior citizen's home. Antique doodads and quilts were spread about. Gently, he rapped on the door. He waited for several seconds, but no answer. James tried again, this time a little louder.

"Hello? Is anybody there? Smit has sent us to deliver some goods to you."

Still, nobody appeared.

"Maybe he's using the john or something." Ben suggested.

"Yeah…maybe. I'll wait a few more minutes."

Five minutes later, James decided to try again.

"Helloooooo? Anybody home? We have a delivery from Smit…huh…still no answer."

"Why don't you just go inside and take a quick look around?"

"I'm not gonna just stroll in some stranger's house without permission, Ben."

"You heard what Smit said. The guy is old. He won't care."

"Yeah…and he'll probably die of a stroke when he finds some big bear snooping around his house."

"Bah…don't be such a worrywart. If you won't, then I will." he said, stepping right up to the front door. "I'll be back. This won't take more than a couple minutes."

"Ben…you shouldn't…"

Before James could finish, he was already in the center of the living room. There was no one here. An unusual scent filled his twitching nose. For a man of his size, Ben was surprisingly quiet as he slinked through to the kitchen. The thirteen-inch television that sat on the counter was still on, tuned to a public service channel. A half-eaten bowl of corn flakes remained on the square table.

"Hmm…nobody here."

He went to the other side of the house, into a narrow hallway. The only bathroom available was at the end. It was empty. The small bedroom to the left of it was barren as well. The bed wasn't made. At least ten bottles of medication sat on the wooden dresser, all lids removed.

"Hello? If anybody's in here, say something."

Except for the ticking of the grandfather clock, there was not a sound. He went out to the back porch and did a visual sweep. Not a single person was seen in the vast fields.

"ANYBODY OUT HERE!"

He waited for a sign, but still none.

"HELLO? ANYBODY!"

He received the same reaction. The bear went on and checked the last place in the house, the garage. He took a peek in the pickup truck, as well as under it. Cans of paint and various tools sat along the shoddily-made shelves. This room was a bust as well.

"Ah...screw it."

Since the house had been searched inside and out, Ben decided to return to the front porch where James was waiting.

"Anything?"

"Nothin' man. He's not in the house. He wasn't in the back. We sure as hell didn't see him in the front. Where could he be?"

"Maybe he isn't even home."

"I doubt it. The truck is still here. The front door wasn't even locked. The TV in the kitchen was still on. And there was an unfinished bowl of cereal on the table."

"Maybe he took a walk somewhere."

"I don't think so. I think the guy is on his last legs."

"What makes you think so?"

"I saw a lot of open bottles of medication on the bedroom dresser, at least ten I think."

"I see…"

"Well J…what do we do now?"

"Mmm…there's a phone in the house right?"

"Most likely."

"You should just call Smit and tell him that the guy isn't here."

"Yeah. I'll do that. He'll know what we should do."

"I'll be right here."

Again, Ben stepped inside the house. He turned around and waved James to come along, but the fox refused.

"C'mon man. Don't be scared. No one is home."

"Nah. I'm still not stepping into someone else's house without permission."

"But YOU don't have a problem making ME go in the house and use the phone?"

"You already went in the house once. It makes no difference now." he said with a smirk.

"Heh. Ass. Fine…have it your way."

The huge mammal went into the living room and picked up the phone. After dialing the number, it was only a short time before he got a response.

"Hello? Smit? Yeah…we're at his house but no one's here. No…yes…uh-huh….no….okay…gotcha. Thanks. You're welcome. Yeah I know. Bye."

"So what'd he say?" James asked as Ben rejoined him on the front porch.

"He said not to worry about it. Just carry the goods around to the backyard and leave them there."

"Just leave them in the backyard?"

"That's what he said."

James and Benjamin proceeded in carrying the many huge bags of potting soil, seeds, buckets of vegetables, gardening tools, and other supplies from the back of the truck around to the back. There was still no indication of the resident.

"I hope the man is okay, where ever he is. I'm kinda worried." James said as he carried a forty-pound bag over his shoulder.

His friend set two buckets of corn onto the grass. "Yeah…me too. I'm thinking what if he got kidnapped?"

"I don't think that would happen…but you never know…"

Twenty minutes passed and they were finished with moving all the cargo. Ben did one last-minute check through the house while James searched around the outside. There was not a single person in sight. It was twenty minutes 'til three.

"Still nobody?" James asked.

"Nope. You?"

"Not a soul."

"Huh."

The two were silent for many seconds, looking down at the grass. They could barely hear the television in the kitchen.

"Well…no use still worrying about it. Let's get back." James finally said.

"You're right. I'm sure he's just fine."

The two friends walked back into the truck, and the fox started the engine. He took a quick look back and forth before shifting the stick into reverse. With a quick push into drive, he quickly accelerated down the road.

James was tapping his fingers and nodding his head to one of his favorite rock songs that blared from the speakers. Ben faced out the window and rested his arm on the sill. They felt their stomachs drop as they rode over a sharp hill.

"You know…if we're lucky, Smit might give us the rest of the day off." James said.

"I hope so. I could use the free time. You know what..."

"What?"

"I think I'll take a vacation, for a week. And get things finally straightened out once and for all."

"That's an excellent idea Benji. You'll have plenty of time to sort things out."

"Yeah…"

"If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. I'll do my best to help you. Okay?"

"Appreciate the thought J Mac, but I won't need it. Thanks."

James stopped at an intersection, waited for a car to pass by, and then made a left. He continued along the road, sitting back and taking it easy, when things took an unexpected turn.

"Hey J…think you can make a stop on the way back? I'm gettin' hungry again."

He smiled. "Sure."

"WHOA!"

Suddenly, something big collided with the windshield, causing a huge crack that spread. Both James and Ben nearly leapt out of their seats. Whatever it was, it tumbled over the roof of the truck and landed on the road behind them with a sickening thud.

Ben turned around to get a better look. "What the!"

James remained alert yet stable as he slammed his foot on the brakes. The truck swerved into the other lane. Ben held on tight to the seat, heart pumping. The tires smoked and squealed as the fox turned the truck 180 degrees. It came to a complete stop. They were now facing what had collided with the vehicle, lying motionless several yards down the road. James and Ben quickly bolted out of the truck and stood before it.

"The hell!" Ben yelled.

"Dear God…"

There was the contorted body of a stout, bearded, elderly black cat, in khaki pants and suspenders. His brown eyes were open, but lacked that spark of life. Splotches of blood were marked all over his body, soaking through his fur and clothing. James began to pant. Panic was setting in. He bent down to get a closer look.

"Holy Hell James! Did you just run over somebody!"

He shook his head. "N..no! No way!"

"Well it sure looked like it to me!"

"N…no! No! I didn't even see him! He just came outta nowhere! I swear!"

"An old man came out of nowhere, in the middle of a slow country road?"

"…Well…did YOU see him?"

"Nope…I wasn't watching the road."

"Huh…"

James gently placed two fingers on his neck, checking for a pulse.

"Well?"

"He's dead Ben. He's dead…"

"Damn…"

"…"

"…"

"You know…I think he's been dead for quite a while. I'd say for several hours at least."

"What makes you think so?"

"He absolutely reeks. He's been decomposing. There's no way he would already smell this bad if I had killed him just now."

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah I'm sure. Don't believe me? Go ahead. Come down here and take a whiff."

"Uhh…that's okay James. I can smell it from up here. Damn. Dude is rank."

"…Something's going on here. Somebody killed this man, and he comes flying into the windshield."

"Maybe that 'somebody' threw him into us?"

"Why would the person do that?"

"I dunno. To scare us?"

"Hmm."

"How do you think he died?"

"I don't know…but I don't see any gunshot wounds or stabs..."

"Poisoned maybe?"

"Maybe. Or strangled to death."

"…"

"…"

"Hey J."

"What?"

"Do you think that cat is the guy that lived in the house we just left?"

"Mmm…might be possible. It would explain a lot."

"What irks me is who would kill some old defenseless man?"

"We got nothing but questions, Benji. I don't think we'll get answers anytime soon."

Ben exalted a big sigh and crossed his arms, trying to get a clear head. James eventually stood up to get himself some air.

"Want to call Smit and tell him what happened?" the fox asked.

"Yeah, that might be a good idea."

"Good. You take the truck and go back to the house and call him. I'll stay here."

"What are you going to do?"

"See that corn field across the road? I'm going to move the body into there and keep watch. I'll keep him out of sight. We don't need any unwanted attention right now."

"Yeah…that's the last thing we need. Awright. I'm going. Don't get yourself into trouble."

"Don't worry. I won't. Come back okay?"

"I won't forget ya J Mac."

Not a single car had passed ever since that odd collision, which was a good thing. Ben started driving the truck back down the road, and James carefully picked up the mangled corpse by gripping its belt buckle and lifting with both hands. Swift like the fox he is, he darted across the lonely road with his dead weight. There were still no cars. He entered the corn field and nestled the body down deep into the stalks, face up.

"(Yeah…this is a good hiding spot…)" he thought.

James stepped out and waited by the side of the road, acting nonchalant with his hands behind his back. He looked back and forth along the road. It was still eerily quiet.

The bear roared into the gravel driveway and leapt out, engine still running. He jetted into the house like it was his own and dialed in the phone. Four rings later, Smit picked up.

"Hello Smit? Yeah…it's me again. I have a question. Yeah. Is your friend that old black cat with a long beard? Uh-huh… Well, I got some bad news. Yeah. He's…well…dead. I don't lie. James was just driving along when he collided into him. No no! He didn't kill him Mr. Smit…I swear. He was long gone for hours. Yeah. Yeah. He's down the road right now with him. No…no…I don't know either, but that's how it happened. I know it sounds weird but you gotta believe me. Okay…okay…just take it easy. Calm down. Okay…Awright. Awright. AWRIGHT. We'll be waiting. Bye."

Ben placed the phone down quick. "Sheesh…"

**Chapter 3 coming soon…**


	3. A Plot in Motion

**Chapter 3 - A Plot in Motion**

The Corneria Presidential Building was a prestigious five-story establishment that stood tall through the generations. Leaders of the planets within the Lylat System often congregate here whenever threatening hot button issues arise. This building was located in the center of the magnificent city, known simply as The Capitol. Shimmering mirrored glass hid the interior from the outside. Shrubs and hedges lined up around the rim of the yard in a flawless pattern. Five flags, each representing a populated planet, stood tall in the center of the courtyard. Blue stood for Corneria. Brown stood for Zoness. White stood for Titania. Red stood for Katina. Green stood for Fortuna.

Security was unusually tight on this day. Armed guards in black suits and shades roamed around the perimeter, constantly communicating and keep each other in check. An invisible force field protected the edifice from unwanted intrusion or damage. A potentially dangerous dilemma has once again gathered the important heads of several planets to the Corneria Presidential Building.

Inside the top floor President Brenton was pacing back and forth in his posh office, footprints starting to appear in the exotic beige carpet. The 6' tall owl was dressed in an extravagant, flowing sky-blue cleric robe. He was obviously stressed. His assistant Chancellor Rei, a slightly shorter otter dressed in a less overstated green robe, was trying to keep the President relaxed, despite the recent turn of troubling events. Brenton was in his mid fifties, with slicked-back gray hair and trimmed beard. Rei was in his early twenties. The President was brash and headstrong, while the Chancellor was soft-spoken and conservative.

Brenton stood up to the window with his hands behind his back. He breathed a deep sigh as he observed his diligent city below. Rei was right behind him, with a cup and saucer.

"Sir, all this stress isn't good for your health. Please…have a spot of herbal tea. It will soothe your nerves and give you a clear head."

He put an arm up, still looking at the city. "Thanks, but no thanks Chancellor. I'm fine. There's just a lot to think about, that's all."

"Understood. As you wish, Sir." he said, then carefully put the cup and saucer on the nearby table.

"I still can't believe that two of our most important assets have slipped out from right under our noses. It's ridiculous."

"I can't believe it myself, Sir." Rei added. He picked up a feather duster and started cleaning his office.

"I mean, where in the world was our security? How come I haven't heard so much as an utter from intelligence until it was too late?"

"It boggles my mind as well, Sir."

Brenton turned around swiftly and walked slowly toward his desk. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Hmmmm…"

"Is something on your mind, Sir?"

"…"

"Sir?"

"Hmm? Oh…no no…my apologies. I was just thinking…"

"May I ask what?"

"Don't worry about it. It's not important."

"Very well."

The temporary silence in the Presidential Office was broken by a beeping on the intercom box. The owl quickened the pace to his desk and pushed a button.

"President Brenton here."

"_Mr. President. We are ready to begin the meeting whenever you're ready."_

"Good. Inform them that I will be there in five minutes."

"_Yes Mr. President."_

Brenton released the button and stood before a mirror. He made sure he was presentable for the meeting. The ever-helpful Rei didn't waste any time rushing over and straightening out his robe, smoothing out his hair, and dusting him off.

"How do I look, Chancellor?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"You look positively exquisite, Sir. You are a worthy man fit to represent Corneria."

Brenton only smiled and nodded his head at the man before him. Rei's compliments to his boss were a dime a dozen.

"Chancellor, take care of things here while I'm gone."

"Absolutely, Sir."

"If anyone calls, tell them I'm at the meeting. I will reply back as soon as possible."

"Yes Sir."

Once he was prepared, the President turned around and headed for the door. His assistant was right behind him with a small tin box in his hand.

"Mr. President?"

"Yes Rei?" he asked, turning around.

"…Would you like a breath mint?"

"What? Excuse me? Breath mint? Just what are you implying?"

He waved his hands frantically. "Oh no. I'm not implying anything Sir. I assure you. It was just a simple suggestion. Please don't take it the wrong way."

Brenton only gave a small smirk before turning back around for the door. "Just make sure you don't miss any calls. I will return soon."

He closed the door with a light slam, leaving Rei to watch over his high office. The otter gently rapped himself on the forehead, mentally punishing himself. "(What in the world was are you thinking? Stupid! Of course it was going to offend him. That wasn't very smart Rei.)"

Security was just as plentiful inside. Brenton strolled to the end of the monochrome, sterile hallway and took the elevator down to the first floor. More guards lined up the brightly lit hallway as the President walked through. His face was made of stone right now.

A suited man greeted him and opened the double doors for him. "Good day Mr. President. The meeting will begin at your consent."

"Thank you."

Inside the expansive Congregation Room, four important figures sat at the round table in the center. The area around the table was four inches higher than the rest of the room. They were dressed professionally and sat in upright postures. Classy three-piece suits and blouses were all around. Each one was a representative of their planet.

Maurice was a forty-something lion from Titania. Klein was a hyena in his thirties from Fortuna. Claire was a German Shepard from Katina, twenty-one years of age. Jeffrey was a dingo from Zoness, same age as Claire.

Security in the balconies kept watch. The five Presidents' safety was their top priority.

"Welcome everyone. I humbly thank you for attending this emergency meeting." Brenton announced. He graciously took his seat at the table.

"What exactly is this meeting about Mr. Brenton?" Maurice asked.

"Let me get straight to the point. This morning, as of 07:00 hours, our intelligence faction had released a report that two of the Corneria War Division's top weapons scientists, Daniel Wilburn and Matthew Kuntz, have been pronounced missing. Their locations as well as reason are still unknown at this point. Since then, intelligence has moved out and are currently combing through The Capitol. So far, there was not a trace of them."

"Has this been released to the public?" Claire questioned.

"No. We are trying to keep this incident as isolated as possible. The less people that know about this, the better. I don't need the press breathing down my neck."

Klein politely raised his hand. "Do you know for sure that they are missing? Have you checked their residences?"

"Please. No need to raise your hand before speaking Klein. Anyways, yes, we are positive. Their residences were the first places we checked outside the War Division complex. Nothing was turned up."

Jeffrey's paws were kept below the table, out of sight. The dingo was squirming in awkward positions, but no one paid attention to it.

"How did they disappear in the first place?" Klein asked.

"Well…The two scientists were not permitted to leave the building until 17:00 hours. They arrived at their workplace at 05:00 hours, early in the morning. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Everything went like clockwork. At approximately 05:48 hours, they left their work area. Surveillance had spotted the two scientists going into the bathroom."

"Both scientists went on a bathroom break at the same time? Sounds pretty fishy." Maurice commented.

"My thoughts exactly. Something definitely wasn't right. At 06:14 hours, they still hadn't left the restrooms. Security became suspicious and they checked inside. They weren't there. They were gone. It was all squeaky clean. At that point, the War Division building had been put on alert. A search through every nook and cranny of all three floors revealed nothing. Cameras showed no evidence of them leaving through any of the exits. At 07:00 hours, they were deemed missing."

"How in the world could two people disappear just like that?" Klein asked, looking confused.

"I wish I knew."

"Wait a minute…"

"What is it Maurice? Something on your mind?"

"Yes...there is. For the sake of argument, let's just say they were actually kidnapped."

"Okay. Go on."

"If I wanted to kidnap somebody, I wouldn't do it while the person was inside a high-security facility. I'd wait until they were at home or in a dark alley or someplace where fewer eyes are watching. Something…something just doesn't add up."

"(Not exactly high-security anymore…)" Klein muttered.

"You've got a point. Perhaps they did this to send a message…that they were pros…if a kidnapping did actually occur of course."

Claire cleared his throat. "No disrespect by any means Mr. Brenton, but how does this affect us? Why are we here?"

The owl took a deep breath, relaxed, and turned to the German Shepard with a face of stone. "Ms. Claire, I understand that this is your first meeting here?"

"Yes."

"Have you heard of the infamous Titanian Conflict? Of ten years ago?"

Maurice felt a pang in his stomach and looked down at the table. The lion swallowed a huge lump in his throat. The memories flooded back into his head. He remembered it like it was yesterday. A certain dark, horrific image that occurred during that epic battle was forever etched into his mind..

"…I…I think so…" Claire stuttered.

"This was almost exactly how the Titanian Conflict started. Weapon scientists were missing, but as it turned out, an enemy from another planet had abducted them…and forced them to create weapons that would threaten life in the Lylat System as we knew it. It was a very dark and depressing time…"

Maurice scratched his chin. "So…what did you want us to do Mr. Brenton? Inform our people about these events?"

"Precisely. I want the four of you to spread the word among your peers. Have your intelligence parties become more vigilant than usual. Notify your top military officers of the situation. Keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious. We don't know if the scientists were actually abducted or not, but we cannot take any chances whatsoever. I have already informed the Cornerian Army's General Pepper of the situation."

Maurice nodded. "I will take necessary precautions then, Mr. Brenton. Thank you for this essential information."

"Yeah…same here." Klein added. "I will spread the word. If something happens, we'll let you know."

"No problem. I'm just looking out for everyone's well-being."

The German Shepard asked. "Well…I sure wasn't expecting this kind of news when I woke up this morning. Again, no disrespect but, don't you think this is a bit extreme Mr. Brenton? I mean, sending four planets into alert status because of two missing people?"

"It never hurts to be careful Claire. If taking all these precautions will prevent another galactic conflict, I will gladly do it."

"Understood Mr. President."

Jeffrey was fidgeting nervously in his chair, and was breathing through his mouth. He tried to look calm and casual, but wasn't doing a very good job.

"Is something wrong Jeffrey?" Brenton asked. "You haven't said anything since the meeting started."

"Oh…n…no. I'm fine. Just a little…stomach ache that's all. So…Sorry." he stammered.

"Are you sure? You're looking pretty tense. You look like you need a glass of water."

"No…no…I'm fine. Continue on Mr. Brenton."

"If you say so..."

"What were the names of the two scientists?" Claire asked.

"Daniel Wilburn and Matthew Kuntz. Remember those names."

Maurice looked at Jeffrey out of the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but notice his constant fidgeting. The dingo had been doing it ever since they entered the room, and it was making him concerned.

Brenton stood up from the table and tugged on his elegant robe. "Ladies and gentlemen, as much as I hate to say it but…We are on the brink of war. I can feel it…and I don't like it."

Klein, Maurice, Claire, and Jeffrey looked at each other, then at the tall robed owl.

"This meeting is adjourned. Again, I humbly thank you for coming."

The four rose up out of the seats. Jeffrey ran like a bat out of hell and was the first one out the door. The President of Corneria walked back toward the elevator and rode it up to the fifth floor.

It was a half past four o'clock. The weather was a typical spring day in The Capitol. The city roared with the hustle and bustle of its citizens. There was no time to rest, errands and business had to be done.

Across the street from the Corneria Presidental Building was a parking lot, where a sleek, black hover car awaited. Jeffrey walked briskly with his hands in his pockets and entered the passenger's side, where a coyote was waiting in the driver's side.

The 5' 9'' black coyote was looking sharp in his black suit and tie, with a pair of round name-brand sunglasses. His build was above average, and toned quite well. His whiskers were trimmed short. An enticing cologne grabbed him many a look. A single tiny diamond earring was on the tip of his left ear. He had a real cool vibe about him.

"Well…do you have it Jeffrey?" he asked, still facing the front.

"Y…yeah…right here."

The dingo rummaged in his pocket for a bit before pulling out a silver micro recorder, which the coyote quickly snatched away. He rewinded it to the beginning, and played it back with a simple button press.

"_Welcome everyone. I humbly thank you for attending this emergency meeting."_

"_What exactly is this meeting about Mr. Brenton?"_

With another click, the coyote stopped the tape. He looked mighty pleased. He slipped it into his right pocket.

"Good work Jeffrey. Very good work. Heh…I knew you were good for something. Here's the 300,000 credits…just as I promised." he said, handing him a card.

"Th…thank you. Pl…please don't tell anyone about this."

"Now now…don't you worry your pretty little head Jeff. Your secret is safe with me. Now…if you'll excuse me, I have to report."

Jeffrey, still nervous, stepped out of the car. The smooth coyote sped down the street and out of view. The dingo looked around erratically, thinking everyone on the planet was watching him. He ran to his stylish red hover car in a hurry and zoomed out of the lot, almost colliding with someone in the process.

Brenton stepped back into his high office, where Rei was in the middle of cleaning the windows. He had already vacuumed the carpet beforehand.

The otter turned around. "Welcome back Sir. How was the meeting?"

"Everything ran pretty smoothly. They were updated on the current situation. The word is being spread. Jeffrey of Zoness wasn't feeling well though."

"Really? What was wrong with him?"

"He said he had a stomach ache. He was acting pretty odd during the entire meeting."

"That's a shame. Hope he feels better."

"Me too."

The day had been stressful for James and Benjamin back in the countryside. Local police had taken the both of them in the station for a long session of questioning. The dead body had been taken to the St. Francis hospital for an autopsy.

James leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms in the dim room, where a single light bulb hung freely from the ceiling. The fox had been real cooperative, answering their questions with quick and short answers. Three Dalmatian police officers were there, one sat down while the other two stood up.

"Okay Mr. James McCloud…you are free to go. We appreciate your cooperation on this matter."

"…Thank you." he said before getting up.

"We will notify you if any new developments turn up."

"Okay."

The fox walked into the lobby. Benjamin was there waiting for him, eating a bag of bar-b-que potato chips and ginger ale from the vending machine.

"They finally let you off, huh?"

"Yeah. I noticed that they asked me the same round of questions twice. I guess they were seeing if I was lying or changing up the story as I go."

"Heh…I've noticed that too. I didn't like the way they were asking me some of the questions."

"What do you mean?"

"They spoke to me all slow, like I was some big retard. Normally I wouldn't get offended, but that really pissed me off."

"Bah…I wouldn't worry about it Benji. This backwoods region is full of jerks."

"…Well I'm just glad it's over."

"Me too."

"….So….are we ready to go? I don't think I can stand being here much longer."

"Yeah…let's get outta here. I'll drive."

The two went outside to the truck, which was parked alone in the third row back. The stars dotted the night sky and the crickets were already making music. The time was twenty past eight. Once buckled in and the engine started, James pressed on down the road.

The trip back home had been mainly quiet. Benjamin fell asleep within the first fifteen minutes. Unlike James, he didn't snore. He made the occasional hiss. The fox had the radio on with another rock song playing. The volume was turned down so his friend could slumber in peace. The highways still remained busy.

James could've returned the truck to Smit's and the two would walk home, but instead he drove to Benjamin's house first. His home was modest, like James'. A single window had a light on. He slowly crept up to the driveway and stopped. The bear was nudged on the shoulder again and again until he woke up.

"Mmmm…? What's up? Are we at Smit's?"

"No. We're at your place."

He rubbed his eyes and shook his head and looked out the window. "…Oh. Well thanks. I don't think I could've walked home without falling on my face."

"I know. What a day it's been eh?"

He yawned. "Tell me about it….what time is it?"

"Half past ten."

"Great. Wife's probably going nuts."

"Just explain what happened. I'm sure she'll understand."

"Hah…my ass…" he grumbled. Ben unfastened and got out of the truck.

"Good night Benji. See ya tomorrow."

"Night J. Oh…and don't forget…"

"?"

"About our little bet…"

"(Rats! I forgot all about that!) Ah…sure Benji."

"G'night…(heh heh…)"

James stayed there until Ben was able to get in the house, then put the pedal to the metal. A trail of dirt clouds kicked up behind him. He arrived at Smit's a few minutes later and stopped the truck in the same spot where they got it. The watchful otter held a shotgun coming outside his house, but put it aside when he saw James.

The fox walked slowly toward him, with hands behind his back. "I'm…really sorry about your friend Mr. Smit. You have my condolences."

"Ah…don't you worry yourself none about that. He was really old anyway. His time was close."

"…I suppose."

"Where's Ben?"

"He's at home. I dropped him off there."

"Did you deliver the goods like I said?"

"Yep. They're in the backyard as you ordered."

"Good work…oh and here…before I forget…"

Smit handed James his forty dollars for today.

"Heh…almost forgot that…thank you."

"No problem. I'll give Ben his pay first thing tomorrow morning. Now you go and get some rest. I reckon it's been one hell of a day."

"Yeah..."

"Did you want me to drive you home?"

"Nah. I'm fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

James waved goodbye before taking off his shirt and making his routine run home.

Julia was looking out the window in her dark blue blouse. She was worried for her husband's safety, seeing as he was usually home by eight. It was a quarter past ten and there was still no sign of him.

She sighed and began to go toward the kitchen when James entered the house. Julia's face lit up and ran to her husband. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He hugged her as well and nuzzled her cheek.

"Where have you been James? I've been worried sick."

"I'm sorry…but something bad happened at work today."

She looked up at him. "What?"

"Ben and I were making a delivery to a friend of Smit's. He wasn't home when we got there. In the end it was decided that we leave the goods in the backyard. Everything was going fine until the trip home."

"…What happened?"

"I know this may sound strange but, as I was driving…I collided with somebody. It turned out to be the person we're supposed to deliver the cargo to."

"Oh my god! Did you kill him?"

"No no…the guy was already dead when I hit him."

"…What? He was already dead when you hit him? That...is strange."

"I told you…Ben contacted Smit who contacted the police. Ben and I were taken in to the police station for questioning. It lasted for a quite a few hours. We didn't leave until after eight."

"How did he die?"

"Don't know yet. The body was shipped to a local hospital for an autopsy. The police said they will inform us once they determine what the cause of death was."

She squeezed him in a hug again, rubbing her hands up and down his hot back. "My god...I hope Smit is taking this well."

"I'm pretty sure he is. He seemed just fine when I talked to him about it afterwards."

"…That's good…well…I'm just…glad you're okay. I was beginning to get scared."

Julia closed her eyes as James gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

"I'm here now Julia. It's okay."

She released her hold on him. "I know how much you like leftover spaghetti, so I put some out on the table."

"Thanks hon…I'm pretty hungry. Is Fox asleep?"

"He's sleeping like a baby. I'm going to take a shower."

"Okay."

As the wife entered the bathroom, the husband tossed his shirt in the hamper. He helped himself to a heaping plate of day-old spaghetti. It was still warm from reheating. Once he nabbed a can of soda from the fridge, he sat down on the couch with his feet resting on the table. James turned on the television. A sitcom about a family of wolves was on.

He didn't twist the spaghetti around the fork. He simply dove right in, slurping up any remaining noodles that drooped from his mouth. James chuckled at the show, then took a swig from his soda.

At that very moment, Julia stepped out from the bathroom after a hot shower. Heat and steam bellowed out from the room. Julia's wardrobe took James by surprise. Her see-through evening gown left absolutely _nothing_ to the imagination...every curve…every part of her body…those slender legs…that ample chest…revealed through clear silk.

James choked on his drink. "Cough! Cough! Coughcough! Wo…wow. Where'd you get that robe from?"

She gave a naïve smile and headed for his direction. "Oh this old thing? I've had it for years."

The swinging of those hips caught his attention. The way she walked…the way she looked at him… His heart began to beat faster. She sat down beside her husband and leaned up against him.

"Re…Really? I haven't seen that robe before."

"You probably wouldn't remember. I haven't worn it in a long time. I thought I'd change it up. You know…add a little variety."

"…Heh heh…interesting."

James' nose twitched, taking in the scent of her irresistibly aromatic body. He shuddered and felt his blood heat up, rushing to all the right places. The fox couldn't help but feel tightness in his pants, and he shifted himself to get in a more comfortable position.

"(Oh man…) You smell…really…really…good…"

"Thanks hon…it was some old perfume that I had. I decided I should start using it again."

"…Oh…well…that's…nice."

Julia lightly sighed and snuggled her head on his chest. She casually placed her hand on his right leg. He looked down but remained quiet. She smiled on the inside, feeling James' heart pounding. She could tell. She had him wrapped around her finger.

James tried to watch television, but his mind was occupied with Julia. "(Why oh why did I have to make that bet…)"

She breathed into his neck, and her hand was slowly…slowly…creeping up his leg. Her delicate fingers were now teasing his thigh, lightly caressing it. James' pants felt even tighter, and his mouth slightly opened with a gasp. Between her deliciously revealing outfit, her fragrance, her breathing, and her touching, he was growing mad with lust. Julia knew she was driving him wild. His musky scent was beginning to fill the air.

"Nuhh…Julia…I know you're…in the mood and all but…uh…we can't do it tonight."

"…And why is that, hon?" she whispered, looking into his nervous eyes.

"Uhh…headache…heh heh…yeah. Big headache."

"Oh really James….that's too bad…"

Julia took a move from James' playbook by kissing and nipping on his neck. He tried to focus on the tv, but it was a blur at this point. Twinges of pleasure ran from his neck on down. Julia's fingers delicately danced up his thigh and onto the button of his pants, which she undid with one smooth motion.

"Nuhhh…Julia…Julia…"

His full-on arousal was obvious now. It was straining against his pants. He felt like he was going to burst. His claws dug into the arm of the couch, trying his best to relax. Julia had him in the palm of her hand and she enjoyed it immensely. Still kissing him, she put her hand on his zipper and pulled it down bit by bit…

"You know what Julia! I…I…I'm going to take a shower!" a flustered James suddenly said. He got up and walked at a fast pace to the bathroom, holding up his pants. "(A subzero, arctic, freezing, ice cold shower…)"

If foxes could sweat, James would be drowning right now. He got undressed and stepped in. The cold water was turned on full blast.

"Ah…hh…"

While he was cooling off, Julia chuckled to herself as she ran to the phone. She dialed the number of a familiar friend. There was only one ring before someone picked up.

"Hello? Hey Ben. This is Julia. Yep…oh yeah…he's going crazy…hehe…I feel so bad for him…I don't think he can last a whole week of this. Yeah…okay….okay…yeah I think it'll be best…sure…Good night Ben. Bye."

Ten minutes later he emerged from the bathroom wearing a towel around his waist. He appeared more serene. "Ahh…good night Julia…I'm off to bed."

Julia ran up and stopped him before he could go any further. "Hehe…wait James…wait…hold on…"

"W…what is it?"

"I have a…little confession to make."

"…Confession?"

"Yeah…uhh…well…me teasing you was Benjamin's idea. He put me up to this. He wanted me to get you all riled up so you would lose the bet. I'm sorry. You don't have to worry about that anymore though. Ben decided that the bet was off."

James just stood there with no emotion on his face, a complete blank. You couldn't tell what he was thinking. He rubbed his chin, and just stared at Julia. She looked back, but didn't move an inch. She wasn't sure what reaction to expect.

"…Are…are you mad at me…James?"

"…"

"Are you mad at me?"

"…"

"James?"

"…"

"…So…you and Ben…were in on this the whole time…heh…you sly dogs…"

"…Are you mad?"

James had that playful look in his eyes. He took off the towel and let it drop to the floor. "Oh no…I'm not mad…not at all…now c'mere Julia…"

She started taking steps back as he started taking steps forward. "James…"

She backed up into the kitchen, still facing her approaching husband. He hunched down and put his paws up as if he was ready to pounce. "C'mere Julia…I just wanna talk..."

"Hehe! Yeah right! James…James!"

Julia giggled as James began chasing her around the house. The two foxes circled around the couch in the living room, switching between clockwise and counter clockwise.

"All I want is a little conversation…why are you running my little vixen?"

"Conversation? Pffffft. Whatever!"

She darted back into the kitchen but James was there at the other end. The two stared for a moment. Julia fake-stepped going back into the living room and James fell for it. He left the exit wide open. She took this chance and dashed right into the bedroom, but she underestimated James' quickness and didn't notice that he was right behind her.

"Whew…" she muttered, then turned around. "EEP!"

James held onto Julia's shoulders and gently pinned her to the wall, followed by a lick on the nose. "…Gotcha." he whispered.

"Hehe...I guess you did…" she whispered back. "I guess I'm in trouble huh…."

"Big trouble."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be…I can take a joke. You and Ben got me good…I'll admit."

James released his hold on her to close the bedroom door…and lock it. He looked at her with that face she knew all too well. Julia was stirring with anticipation, just as he was. With a quick flick, he turned off the lights. The darkness was silent at first…an eerie calm…

"Ben was right…you're such a horndog."

"I prefer the term 'hopeless romantic'…besides…I don't hear you complaining…"

The black of the room soon became alive with laughing…kissing…moaning…and much…much…more…

**Chapter 4 coming soon…**


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